My 2000th rating and I picked a 12 oz bottle of imperial stout with high hopes for the selection. Aged in whiskey barrels and then in wine barrels. Intriguing. A snifter will receive the pour and so I do. I determine an almost-black body carrying a bare skim of silvery tan, extremely fine, bubbles. I lift the glass to take a smell. I can only say it is mighty fine. Berries, grain, chocolate and malt. The drink is something different and I mean that in a good way. Influence from both the whiskey and the wine barrels, a small amount of chocolate, burnt toast, malt and a bit of molasses. There's more bitterness than sweetness and not a lot of either. Properly dense in sensation in my opinion. I am impressed with this offering in a style that I like considerably, curiously tasty. Certainly not a pastry stout and that is a good thing.

330mL bottle. Pours very dark brown with small beige head. Aroma has a ton of cabernet and whiskey barrel character with a dark malty base. The cabernet and whiskey barrels are very well-integrated with each other and the good roasty stout underneath. Excellent barrel work; very nice tannic character.

A deep dark stout with a very thin mocha head. In aroma, sweet fruity chocolate malt with dark fruits, licorice, bourbon barrel notes, woody notes, alcohol warmth, very nice. In mouth, a nice sweet fruity chocolate malt with dark fruits, licorice, alcohol warmth, light bourbon barrel notes, very nice and smooth. On tap at Alkies.